Folding bed.



PATENTBD JAN. 16, 1906.

J. E. GHATEM.

FOLDING BBD.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 27, 1904 U w NNI UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFIOE.

JOHN E. CHATEM, OF LOS ANGELES, OALFORNIA.

FOLDING BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1e, 1906.

Application filed December 27, 1904. Serial No. 238,291.

The main object of this invention is to provide a folding-bed construction adapted to be used as a part of an apartment construction, the bed folding into a recess and being detachably mounted, so as to be removable from the recess in the apartment, and closure means being provided for'said recess, so that the same will be concealed when the bed is down and may be closed when the bed is removed to enable the recess to serve as a closet.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of the foldingbed frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for automatically opening the recess-closure when the bed is folded into the recess and to provide an improved form of closure for said recess in the shape of doors.

They accompanyingdrawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the bed in lowered position. Fig. 2 is a section on the line m2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line .fc3 w3, Fig. 2. Fig. L1 is a detail section showing the latch for fastening the upper and lower door members together. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the bed-frame.

1 designates a wall-casing formed with a recess 2, which serves both to contain the folding bed and as a closet when the folding bed is removed. 3designatesthebed-frame,mounted to fold into said recess and having a front 4, which may be a panel-front provided with a mirror 5. The bed-frame is supported near one end on a pivotal support 6 on the basepiece 7, extending' across the front of the recess at the bottom thereof. Said base-piece may have legs 8, extending into sockets 9 in the ioor of the recess, to hold the base-piece in position and to permit its removal when desired, or other suitable male and female members of any kind may be provided for this purpose. The pivotal connection of the bed-frame is also desirably detachable, consisting, for example, of a hook 10 on the bedframe engaging over the half round 6 on metallic uprights 12, attached to the bed-piece 7 and carrying the legs 8.

Near its other end the bed-front 4 may have legs 14, resting on the floor when the bed is lowered.

The bed preferably consists of metallic framework formed of angle-irons 15, secured together to form-longitudinal and end rails and covered externally with sheet-metal plates 16 to form the side pieces and the head and front board of the bed. Braces 17 may be provided at the corners. Each side and end of the bed comprises upper and lower rails formed of angle-irons and connected by vertical pieces of angle-iron and sheet metal extending exteriorly of said rails and forming a covering therefor.

r1`he bed is provided with counterbalancing means to facilitate the folding thereof into the recess, said means being preferably detachable from the bed to enable the latter to be moved when desired. Said counterbalance means may consist of weights 18, suspended by cords 19, running over sheaves or at the top of the recess pulleys 2O and under sheaves or pulleys '21 at the bottom of the recess, and then upthe bed is lowered consists of doors 25, swing- I ing on hinges 26 at the respective sides of the recess, said hinges being preferably'springhinges, so as to tend to close the doors. Cords 27'are secured to the said doors and pass rearwardly around sheaves 28 at the back of the recess and are attached to the counterweightcords 19, so that as the counterweights 18 descend the cord 19 will pull upon the cords 27 to turn the doors 25 rearwardly into the recess out of the way of the infolding bed.

The doors 25 extend only from the top of the recess down to or little below the top of the headboard of the bed, so as not to interfere with the operation of the counterweightcords 19. When the bed is removed from the recess, it is desirable to close the lower part of the recess below the doors 25, and for this purpose supplementary doors 30 are hinged at 31 at the sides of the recess and provided with latches 32, whereby they may be con- ICO ' hold the counterweights inoperative when the nected to the upper doors 25 to move therewith when the recess is being used as a closet. In order under these conditions to relieve the doors from the operating connection to the counterweights 18, eye or hook means 33 may be provided at the back of the recess, upon which the snaffles 22 may be suspended to bed is removed from the recess.

By providing an independent base-piece Aclosing the bottom of the recess and removably holding the same non-rotatably in position and pivoting the folding bed on the basepiece the head of the bed is brought out in front of the hinges of the doors whichclose the upper portion of the recess when the bed is drawn out and the bed is readily removed from the wall.

Since the upper portion of the recess is closed by doors 25 when the bed is down and base-piece 7 closes the portion of the recess under the bed when the bed is down, draft under the bed is prevented in case the recess is provided with Ventilating means communieating with another room or the outer atmosphere.

What I claim isl. The combination of a wall-casing having a recess, a bed folding thereinto, a closuredoor hinged at the sides of the recess and swinging rearwardly into said recess, counterweight means for the bed and connections from said counterweight means to said door to operate the same.

2. A wall-casing having a recess, a bed mounted to fold into said recess, doors hinged at the sides of the recess and swinging forwardly to close the recess, or rearwardly into the recess, said doors being provided with spring-hinges tending to close the same, and connections between the folding bed and the doors to turn the doors rearwardly into the recesswhen the bed is folded.

3. A wall-casing having a recess, a bed mounted to fold into said recess, doors hinged at the sides of the recess and swingingforwardly to close the recess or rearwardly into the recess to open the'same, said doors being provided with spring-hinges tending to close the same, and connections between the folding bed and the doors to turn the doors rearwardly into the recess when the bed is folded, said conl nections comprising cords connected to the bed and to the doors and guiding-pulleys for said cords. l

4. A wall-casing having a recess, a bed folding thereinto, counterweight devices comprising weights, suspending cords connected thereto and to the bed, and pulleys over which said cords pass, folding doors closing the upper part of the recess and cords connected to said doors, and to the aforesaid cords to turn said doors rearwardly into the recess as the counterweights descend.

5. A wall-casing having a recess, a basepiece extending across the front of the recess and closing the bottom of said recess when the bed is down, male and female members being provided for removably holding said basepiece non-rotatably in position, and a folding bed pivotally mounted on said base-piece to fold into the recess.

6. A wall-casing having a recess, a basepiece extending across the front of the recess and provided with means for removably holding the same non-rotatively in position and a folding bed detachably mounted on said basepiece to fold into the recess.

7. A wall-casing having a recess, a bed folding thereinto and having a headboard closing the lower part of the recess when the bed is lowered, closure means hinged at the sides of the recess for closing the part of the recess above the said headboard and closure means hinged at the sides of the recess for closing the recess below the aforesaid closure means.

8. A wall-casing having a recess, a bed folding thereinto and Ahaving a headboard closing the lower part of the recess when the bed is lowered, closure means hinged at the sides of the recess for closing the part of the recess above the said headboard and closure means hinged at the sides of the recess for closing the recess below the aforesaid closure means, and latch means connecting' the upper and lower closure means together.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 19th day of December, 1904.

JOHN E. CHATEM.

In presence of- A. P. KNIGHT,

JULIA TowNsEND. 

